“Kazakhstan arsenals and armories are well protected and equipped with alarm systems. There are single cases when there are storage and accounting defects. But they are investigated immediately. The situation is unstable in the Caucasus and neighboring countries, in Afghanistan in particular. That’s why it is quite possible that they get the weapons from there. And in terms of the links to politics I think that individuals who got caught on economic crimes are trying to cover up their crimes through destabilizing the situation in Kazakhstan, undermining the stability that we have been achieving for the last 20 years. This is unacceptable,” Altynbayev told the journalists on the sidelines of the plenary meeting.

Analyzing the actions of the military forces in the recent special operations in western Kazakhstan, Senator and former Defense Minister expressed the opinion that the military forces were on the right track.

“Special forces are working. Perhaps, there are some defects in their work, but it is not easy to counter well-trained terrorists, I think we are gradually getting this experience. The experts of the special forces, I think, are performing their tasks well in general,” Mukhtar Altynbayev said.

Speaking of terrorists the Former Defense Minister said: “If they (terrorists) hide in some house, shoot and kill our officers, what should be done to them? I am convinced that they have to be eliminated if they use weapons. They act against our principles, our state, thus, they have to be eliminated. What should we do if there are civilians in this house? And what should we do with those who let terrorists in their houses? Should we kiss them for that? Our officers die. This is not easy when a criminal shoots back; that means that the officials are in for a certain death. The terrorists are eliminated thanks to the good preparedness of our officers,” Altynbayev said.